Scotland must plan for a future without nuclear energy
The Scottish and UK governments must work with EDF and the local community to put long term plans in place for a green transition for the workers and community surrounding Torness Nuclear Power Station, say the Scottish Greens.
The call follows confirmation that the lifespan of the station has been extended to 2030.
Scottish Green Co-leader Patrick Harvie said:
“With the life of Torness being extended by two years, there is an onus on the Scottish and UK governments to use that time to work together with trade unions, EDF and the local community to ensure there are high quality jobs for the workers to go to afterwards.
“As Scotland moves away from nuclear, we need to be working to build a genuinely greener future. That means investing in infrastructure and the community.
“Torness can have a really important role to play in the future of our energy system, whether it is in terms of High-voltage direct current transmission or building connections for offshore wind. There must be a focus on retraining and re-skilling to ensure that jobs remain in the community.
“Scotland has resources that any country would envy and the ability to create abundant cheap renewable energy. We must pull out all the stops to reach that potential and ensure that workers in sites like Torness and Grangemouth are at the forefront of future plans.”
Scottish Green Councillor for East Lothian, Shona McIntosh, said:
“We cannot put off the development of a transition plan for workers at Torness by pinning false hope on a long-term nuclear plan for the site.
“East Lothian is in a prime position to benefit from genuinely clean renewable energy, and staff at Torness already have a fantastic set of transferable skills.
“EDF must work with other employers in the energy sector to provide staff with training and advice that could help them make that transition. I’ve raised this already with East Lothian Council under the Community Wealth Building work stream and hope to see progress on this soon."
